Canfields Farm

The farm and surroundings
Rudgwick is a village and civil parish in the Horsham District of West Sussex, England. The Parish of Rudgwick lies in the heart of the Low Weald and to the North West of the County of West Sussex. It is bounded by the Surrey/Sussex border running along the ridge of rising ground which gave the parish its name - "Regwick" (1210) - "the farm on the ridge". The Parish Church stands on the ridge dominating the whole area. The parish consists of six distinct hamlets, namely The Haven, Tismans Common, Bucks Green, Rudgwick, Cox Green and Rowhook. The word Weald comes from the Saxon word "forest" and lies between the North and South Downs.

The local brickwork uses clays laid down millions of years ago when Rudgwick was on the shore of a very large pre-historic lake. It was in 1985, whilst excavating brick clay, that the bones of a unique dinosaur identified as Polacanthus Rudgwickensis was

found. The importance of this discovery is that there are only two other unconfirmed dinosaurs of this species to be found in the World, both in the United States. This species roamed the earth about 100 million years ago. The bones are in the Natural History Museum.

The farming at Canfields farm
The Bargman family has farmed at Canfields farm, in Rudgwick, since 1960 starting with a pedigree Friesian milking herd. This was sold in 1979 to a pedigree breeder in Somerset. At this time Peter Bargman felt the farm was like a 'ghost town', so he bought six Friesian cows and retailed milk from Canfields from 1979-1988, bringing in young stock from his original herd.
The tradition of Canfields, selling direct to the consumer, has included meat, vegetables, fruit, milk and cream. Canfields was now returning to its roots as the Kensetts, who owned the

farm from 1948, had also retailed milk from the farm, together with buying and selling horses. In 1988, Peter sold the dairy herd to Fred Cooper from Shipley and in 1989 started a suckler herd (beef mothers with calves suckling for 5/6 months). In 1993, Canfields joined the Farm Assured British Beef and Lamb Assurance Scheme. The Inspector wrote 'A small herd kept to a high standard of care and attention stress free'. The herd stands today at 30 home bred mothers from the original three Peggy, Fox and Delight. The calves are fed on milk and grass, barley being added during the winter months. In 1994, Canfields started the 2-year conversion period to organic farming in order to deliver sustainable organic produce.

The Canfields farm family

The family members in the photograph opposite are: Peter, Erica, Tim, Sarah and Charlotte aged three. Toby, aged 7, was at school at the time the photo was taken. Canfields organic Beef, Pork and Veal farm is set between the North and South Downs.

Excellent walking and cycling on the South Downs Way, and scenic towpath stroll and canal boat trips can be taken locally. Local golfing is also available. Brighton 25 miles, London 40 miles. Pubs and restaurants in Rudgwick, ½ mile. Horsham old market town has extensive leisure and shopping facilities (7 miles). Also; the cathedral towns of Guildford and Chichester; Goodwood, Fontwell and Ascot Races; and Cowdray Park polo are within easy driving distance.

The location of the Feather Down tents
The tents are sited on the edge of woodland and a large field. Within your paddock you can collect eggs from your

Loman chickens and get to know your Goodwood Lambs, all organic of course!

No pets allowed
Sorry but no Pets are allowed on Canfields farm.

Special near Canfields farm
The Horsham Point - a Mesolithic arrowhead - is sometimes claimed as the birth of distinctly British culture, since it is the earliest known artifact that postdates the separation (due to glacial meltwater filling the Channel) of Britain from the continent.

The first mention of Horsham was in King Eadreds land charter of AD 947. The town had connections to the sale of horses and the name is believed to be derived from "Horse Ham", a settlement where horses were kept. An alternative explanation is that "Horsham" is a contraction of "Horsa's Ham" named after the Saxon warrior who was said to have been given land in the area. However, this is considered unlikely by most local historians despite having been in existence for some 140 years at the time of the survey.

Horsham is not mentioned in the Domesday Book either because it was never visited by inspectors, or was simply 'leftout' of the final version.